Modern Microwave Cooking

This can be done very spicy with really sour mangoes or less spicy with less sour mangoes. I am giving a general method because it depends on the mango you choose. But the method is the same & the variation is only in the spice level.

Roast 2 tsp methi seeds dry, till the colour changes & powder with 2 tsp hing powder.

Always, powder crystal salt & use if you want to keep the pickle over a length of time. Otherwise use table salt. Remember, table salt is slightly sharper than crystal salt

Best choice is to make pickle masala & use whenever necessary.

Spicy thokku:

This can be made really hot. In Chennai we can buy thokku mangoes. Wherever you are, buy the sour variety which is totally unripe. Even if it has just started ripening, the pickle will not last long. Wash, peel & grate the mangoes.

Grated mango - 3 cups

Red chilli powder - 3 tbsp ( spice level is one’s choice )

Salt, haldi, hing-methi powder

Gingelly oil - ½ cup

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Take a big bowl & add oil.

Add mustard seeds & MW hi for 3 mts.

Add the mangoes, haldi & cover with a lid.

MW hi for 5 mts.

Remove, open, lightly mash with a spatula, add chilli powder, salt & mix well.

MW hi for 10 mts, stirring every 3 mts.

It is ready when it forms a mass with oil surrounding it.

Remove & add hing-methi powder & mix very well.

Please remember timings may vary slightly with each MW oven.
If you are preparing smaller quantity, you can cut down the oil by half.
More oil only helps to preserve the pickle better.
Since mangoes are seasonal, extra thokku prepared can be stored in ziplock covers in the freezer & used later. But make sure, in that case, to add enough oil, since oil preserves it.
MW mangothokku.JPG

Milk - ½ litre

Semiya - ¼ cup

Sago - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/3 cup

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

Spread semiya , sago & cashew in a micro plate, smear ghee & MW for 3 mts on medium, mixing well once inbetween.

In a casserole take milk & MW hi for 5 mts.

Remove add semiya mixture & mix well.

MW medium for 7-8 mts, stirring twice inbetween to prevent lump formation.

Remove, add sugar & stir well.

MW lo for 3 mts.

Remove & add cardamom powder.

Chill.

If it becomes thick, add little cold milk.
MW Semiyapayasam.JPG

Please remember timings may differ slightly with each M W oven.

Milk - 1 litre

Basmathi - ¼ cup

Sugar - ¾ cup

Saffron - ¼ tsp ( warm & powder )

Instead of basmathi, any thin variety, quick cooking rice can be used.

Use a big casserole for this.

Wash and soak the rice for 30 mts.

Then drain & keep ready.

Pour milk in the casserole & MW hi for 10 mts.

Remove, add rice & mix well.

Now MW medium for 20 mts & Mw medium Lo ( next lower adjustament) for 25 mts.

Frequent stirring regularly is important to prevent lump formation.

Take out, lightly mash with a ladle to get a sauce consistency.

Add sugar & powdered saffron.

Mix well & MW Lo for 5 mts & remove.
MW palpongal.JPG

Bombay Rawa - 1 cup

Ghee 5 tbsp

Sugar 2 cups

Water 2-2 ½ cups (depends on how soft you want it )

Chopped cashew 2 tbsp

Raisins 2 tbsp

Cardamom pdr 1 tsp

In a bowl take rawa , smear with ghee and mix well.

Micro Med for 5 mts, stirring once in between till light pink.

Add cashew , raisins and Micro Med for 2 mts

Add sugar , hot water, colour, cardamom pdr and mix very well.

This mixing is important to prevent lumps.

Micro Hi for 5 mts, stirring once in between to dissolve the sugar completely.


Cover and Micro Low for 10 mts.

Fruit Kesari:

In the above recipe decrease the sugar to 1 ½ cups.

After you finish the entire cooking you can add upto 2 cups of chopped fruits , cover for 10 mts & then use.

Do not cook after adding fruits.

Fruits like pineapple , pomegranate , apple & seedless sweet grapes are suitable.

Bananas can be added , but it will make the kesari slightly mushy.

For both kesaris , conventional stove top cooking can be made in the same way , with the same proportion.
rava kesari.JPG

Basmathi - 1 cup

Boiling water - 2 cups ( or less – this varies with rice)

Salt

To temper:

Oil - 2 tsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Peppercorn - 1 tsp

Cloves - 3,4

Wash & soak the rice for 15 mtes in water.

Drain well & keep ready.

Boil water & keep ready.

In a MW bowl, add ghee, oil, pepper, cloves & jeera.

MW Hi for 3 mts, partially closed.

Remove & add drained rice.

MW hi for 2 mts.

Remove & add boiling water & salt.

Mix very well, cover with a lid & keep back in the MW.

Cook on med for 8 mts & Lo for 7 mts.

Allow standing time & then remove.

Fluff up with a fork.

Serve with any gravy sabji, preferably spicy.
MW jeera rice.JPG

This sweet does not require any flavouring.

Fresh besan - ¼ cup

Cashew powder - ¼ cup

Ghee - ¼ cup

Milk - ¼ cup

Sugar - ¾ cup

Mix all ingredients in a shallow micro bowl, without lumps.

MW Hi for 4-5 mts to soft ball stage.

The time varies by a few secs in each MW.

Remove, stir to dough consistency.

Spread on a greased plate & cut into desired shapes.
MW golden burfi.JPG

Chopped keerai - 3 cups

Kollu sprout ( boiled ) - ½ cup
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Red chillies - 1,2

Jeera - ¼ tsp

Salt

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Red chillies - 1,2

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Wash, chop fine keerai.

Drain very well.

In a MW bowl, take oil, add red chillies, mustard seeds & urad dhal.

Partly cover & MW hi for 2-3 mts till dhal turns brown.

Remove, add keerai & mix.

Do not add salt now.

MW for 5-6 mts to cook the keerai.

This varies for each MW.

In the meanwhile crush coaresely the boiled sprouts, red chilli & jeera.

Add this to the keeari along with salt.

MW for 1 mte & remove.

Note:

If you do not have sprouts, substitute grated coconut.

Along with the crushing ingredients, it is optional to add 2,3 cloves of garlic.

When cooked in MW, keerai retains a beautiful green colour.

This is a dry dish eaten ideally with sambar, rasam etc.
kollu sprout keerai curry.JPG

This is also called rice kheer. Nuts & spices can be omitted by individual choice.

Full fat milk - 1 litre

Sugar - 1 cup ( less by option)

Basmathi rice - ¼ cup

Finely chopped nuts ( almond+pista+cashew) - 3 tbsp ( or more)

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Soak the rice for 15 mts & drain.

In a big shallow micro vessel, boil milk in MW for 10 mtes.

In a small micro conainer, take ghee, cardamoms, cloves & rice.

MW Hi for 2 mts, stirring well inbetween.

Add this to the milk in the big casserole.

MW on medium for 30 mts, stirring thoroughly, every 5, 6 mts.

Remove, add sugar & nuts.

Stir very well.

MW Lo for 5 mtes.

Remove & serve hot, at room temperature or cold, as you prefer.

For pal payasam, many prefer to omit nuts & spices & just leave it plain. Some add cardamom powder & roasted cashews. This is individual preference. By choice, adding a teaspoon of white butter as soon as you remove from MW, gives it a very good consistency. Some like to add condensed milk, in which case, remember to decrease the sugar.
MWrice kheer.JPG

Ridge gourd is " Peerkangai" in tamil.

Test each ridge gourd for bitterness before chopping it.

Peel & cut into cubes.

Chopped vegetable cubes - 3 cups

Moong dhal - 3 tbsp

Green chillies - 2 slit

Salt, haldi

Hing - ¼ tsp

Grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Lime juice - 1 tsp

To temper:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Urad dhal - 1 tsp

Finely chopped ginger - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Wash & soak moong dhal in ¾ cup of boiling water for minimum 30 mts.

Cook on MW hi for 8-10 mts, in an open shallow bowl, after adding haldi & a few drops of oil.

If necessary, add a little more boiling water, half way through.

Then add the vegetable pieces, green chillies, but do not add water.

Cover & cook for MW hi 5-6 mts.

Make sure the vegetable is soft.

Remove & add coconut & lime juice.

In a small bowl, add oil & tempering ingredients.

Partly cover & MW hi for 3 mts.

Add to the above & mix.

If you so prefer, tempering can be done on stove top.

Condensed milk - 1 tin (400gms)

White butter - 100 gms

Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp

Sugar - 200 gms

Combine all ingredients in a casserole.

Stir thoroughly , free of all lumps - this step is very important.

Micro Hi uncovered for 9-10 mts stirring twice in between .

A little mixture dropped in water should be able to be rolled very well.

Remove , leave for half an hour stirring at intervals.

Empty on a greased thali,

Level well and cut into small squares.

If still slightly sticky, wrap in small squares ( 4” by 4”) of butter paper.
MW chocolate fudge.JPG
The same can be done on stove-top, as well. Make sure, it does not get burnt at the bottom.